It was a preseason game. It was a loss. And it just may have been one of the brightest spots for Penn State basketball in months.
There were many positives to be taken from the Penn State basketball team's 87-86 loss to the EA Sports Southeast All-Stars. Jan Jagla had 17 rebounds. Freshman guard Marlon Smith had 19 points in his first game. Kevin Fellows scored half as many points as he had all of last season.
Penn State men's basketball coach Ed DeChellis acknowledged the improvements, but won't be satisfied by the performance in one exhibition game. According to DeChellis, his squad still has a long way to go.
"We're not even close to where we need to be," DeChellis said. "I thought we were having problems scoring."
Fans of the Lions the past two years may be surprised that DeChellis classifies an 86-point performance as a problem, but it's a testament to what he expects and envisions for his team.
If the game Saturday is any indication, it seems that DeChellis' practices are paying off, but the coach refused to heap on praise after the game. When asked if his team's conditioning was where he wanted it to be, DeChellis did not mince words.
"No. Absolutely not," DeChellis said. "We're not even close. A lot of guys aren't out of shape, they just haven't been able to do all the stuff that we did all fall because they're all banged up, so they haven't done things we'd like them to do."
DeChellis has put a particular emphasis on conditioning in the offseason and his initial weeks of practice, often requiring his players to sprint during most drills. Injuries to Aaron Johnson and Ben Luber have limited their practice time, , along with smaller injuries to Robert Summers and DeForrest Riley-Smith.
Though the conditioning isn't yet to DeChellis' liking, there were still some tangible results of his effect on the Lions in the first game.
Most notably, the team scored 86 points, topping last season's high of 79 against Northeastern, in a double-overtime loss. DeChellis' East Tennessee State teams were known for their fast pace and high scoring games by the time he left, two things he is trying to bring to the Lions.
Jagla said that the fast pace in practice began to have an effect in Sunday's game.
"I think it did translate to the game today," Jagla said. "Not 100 percent or exactly the way we wanted, but obviously we scored 86 points. I don't even remember the last time we had that."
There's a very good reason Jagla doesn't remember. The last time it happened was in the 2000-2001 Sweet 16 season, a year before he came to the team.
The Lions also tallied 18 assists on Sunday, more than any game from last season. And though they were still few and far between, the Lions managed some fast-break points, one of the rarest sights of all from last year.
The Lions lost the game, but in the preseason the outcome isn't necessarily the most important thing. DeChellis saw some things he liked, but is still looking for improvement.
"We've got a lot of work to do, my heavens," DeChellis said. "I'll probably be miserable when I watch the tape, but I thought there were some things we can build on."
